Summer Ballet Seasons in Moscow are an integral part of the summertime
cultural life that already became a tradition: the Seasons have been an annual
fixture of the cultural calendar since 2001. This year, from July 1 to
August 28 the best classical ballets will be performed on stage of the Russian
Academic Youth Theatre (RAMT) for 11th time.

The SUMMER BALLET SEASONS were founded in 2001 and immediately attracted the
attention of audiences. The repertoire of the Seasons consists of classics
performed by promising and prominent Russian ballet companies.

More than 300,000 people have visited performances of the Seasons during
these years. In 2001, the project was planned as the means to settle tourist
problems - in the period of summer vacations, closed theatres and concert halls,
it was impossible to form a worthy cultural program for foreign tourists. Time
passed, and today the Seasons have turned into a prominent cultural event in
Moscow. The performances of both the ballet companies, participating in Summer
Ballet Seasons, are a great rarity in their own country, as they tour abroad
most of the year. For example Moscow City Ballet had 15 annual tours and more
than 1500 performances just in UK !

The conception of the Summer Ballet Seasons is to cherish the inherited
treasures of the Russian national culture.

The performances traditionally take place in the very heart of Moscow in the
old Russian National Theatre next to the World Known Bolshoi and opposite the
Kremlin and Red Square.

Summer Ballet Seasons in Moscow are an integral part of the summertime
cultural life that already became a tradition: the Seasons have been an annual
fixture of the cultural calendar since 2001. This year, from July 1 to
August 28 the best classical ballets will be performed on stage of the Russian
Academic Youth Theatre (RAMT) for 11th time.

The SUMMER BALLET SEASONS were founded in 2001 and immediately attracted the
attention of audiences. The repertoire of the Seasons consists of classics
performed by promising and prominent Russian ballet companies.

In 2001, the project was planned as the means to settle tourist problems - in
the period of summer vacations, closed theatres and concert halls, it was
impossible to form a worthy cultural program for foreign tourists. Time passed,
and today the Seasons have turned into a prominent cultural event in Moscow. The
performances of both the ballet companies, participating in Summer Ballet
Seasons, are a great rarity in their own country, as they tour abroad most of
the year. For example Moscow City Ballet had 15 annual tours and more than 1500
performances just in UK!

The conception of the Summer Ballet Seasons is to cherish the inherited
treasures of the Russian national culture.

This is the second year the the Summer Ballet Seasons
are organized in partnership with state unitary enterprise MosConcert with
support from the Department of Culture of the city of Moscow. Participants
include the best Moscow troupes: “La Classique” Moscow Ballet run by Elik
Melikov and Russian National Ballet Theatre run by Vladimir Moiseev and Evgeny
Amosov. For the first time
the Seasons open their stage to the Russian Classical Ballet troup headed by
Oksana Usacheva.

For several years already the Seasons’ participants include foreign ballet
troups that are known both for their artistic interpretations of classical
storylines and for their innovative modern production. For example, last year
the tour of “Kiev Modern Ballet” theatre headed by the iconic young
choreographer Radu Poklitaru enjoyed great success. This year, which marks the
Year of Italy in Russia, the Russian and Italian Ministries of Culture are
helping to bring to Moscow Balleto di
Milano headed by Carlo Pesto. The troupe will perform the
director’s version of “Romeo and Juliet” and choreographic production
titled “Chanson”.

The performances of Summer Ballet Seasons traditionally take place in the
Russian Academic Youth Theatre
(RAMT) located in the very heart of Moscow — at Teatralnaya
Square, next to Bolshoi and Malyi theaters, in the magnificent old
mansion — a unique monument of architecture built in the 19th century. This
mouse was always known as the center of Moscow’s cultural life. It was
frequented by Anna Kern, this is where the Artistic coterie headed by Alexander
Ostrovsky gathered for its meetings, this stage witnessed performances by Fedor
Shalyapin and Leonid Sobinov and in 1924—1936 it was home to Moscow Art
Theatre-II, whose director was Mikhail Chekhov.

Each year the theatre’s lobby hosts exhibitions organized within the
framework of the Summer Ballet Seasons. This year we will show mosaic works of art, which are a part of
the exhibition dedicated to the 170th anniversary of the great French
Impressionist painter Claude Monet. Last winter the exhibition was a great
success in Paris.

The Summer Ballet Seasons projects seeks to preserve and promote Russia’s
cultural heritage and introduces the audiences to the world-famous classical
Russian ballet. In the course of 11 years of the Summer Ballet Seasons’
existence the performances were seen by more than 300,000 people. Initially the
project was conceived specifically for foreign tourists who were visiting
Moscow after the closing of the theatre season. But residents of the capital
showed great interest in the performances and very quickly the Summer Ballet
Seasons became summertime Moscow’s business card.

In 1988, the Russian choreographer and former soloist of
the Bolshoi Ballet, Victor Smirnov-Golovanov, founded the Classical Ballet
Theatre, which is known abroad as Moscow City Ballet. The Company"s success,
both at home and abroad, makes it one of Russia"s most extensively touring
ballet companies.

Considering classical ballet to be an important part of the national heritage
of Russia, Victor Smirnov-Golovanov aims to bring it to as wide a public as
possible, especially to the new generation of ballet-going youngsters.

Some of the Company"s greatest successes have been in the United Kingdom,
where it has given more than 1,500 performances since 1991, all under the
auspices of Victor Hochhauser. In addition, Moscow City Ballet has appeared in
Belgium, Cyprus, Egypt, Estonia, Germany, Holland, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan,
Lithuania, the People"s Republic of China, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
the Republic of Ireland, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, the USA and,
naturally, in Russia itself. The touring schedule of the Company is always very
tight and the tours are planned long ahead.

Moscow City Ballet is renowned for the perfection of its corps de ballet in
the best traditions of the Russian school of classical ballet. This is ensured
by the unceasing efforts, both in production and rehearsal, of Victor
Smirnov-Golovanov and his wife, Lyudmila Nerubaschenko. Smirnov-Golovanov"s own
productions, as well as older versions of the classical ballets, all share a
clearly defined style and choreographic integrity.

The Company of more than 60 dancers is drawn from graduates of all the finest
choreographic academies and schools in Russia and the Ukraine, including Moscow,
St. Petersburg, Perm, Kiev, Novosibirsk, Ufa and Alma-Ata, as well as guest
artists from abroad. Moscow City Ballet appears regularly with its own orchestra
and is in constant demand all over the world.

The Russian
National Ballet Theatre (RNBT) was founded with the help and support of the
Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. The necessity to have a young,
promising and vibrant theatre with a unique potential in both kinds of dance,
classical and modern, was the main reason for its foundation. Talent and
devotion to art is its major principle. This is support by the outstanding
talent and devotion of the celebrated masters Russian ballet, such as, People`s
Artist of the USSR Professor Moiseev, People`s Artist of Russia Professor R.
Struchkova, People`s Artist of USSR M. Lavrovsky, People`s Artist of USSR Y.
Vladimirov and others.

The Russian National Ballet Theatre has
given Russian ballet a new lease of life. The theater"s repertoire includes not
only classical performances such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty,
Scotland Suite, Don Quixote and Gala Concert, but also modern ballets set to the
music of Mozart, Bach, Ravel and others. The company personnel numbers more than
50 dancers, and is the result of the pain-staking search for dedicated and
talented artists. A great effort has gone into providing the correct atmosphere
and conditions in which to develop and perfect the artists` mastery and creative
pursuits. The company"s main soloists are: Honoured Artist of Russia M.
Bogdanova, E. Berezina, O. Pavlova and prize winners of international ballet
competitions - M. Romanov, K. Pavinskaya, N. Ivanova, N. Kungurtseva, to name
but a few.

Artistic Director of the company is Vladimir Moiseev, the Honoured Artist of
Russia and the soloist with the Bolshoi Theatre. The company"s General Director
is the Honoured Artist of Russia, Evgeny Amosov. The Theatre`s soloists have
been invited to perform principal roles in the leading theatres of Russia,
Italy, Spain, Japan, the United States, Mexico, Australia, South Korea and
Mainland China. And the company tours intensively all over the world as well.
They"ve been announced the best touring company in China in the years 2001 and
2002.

The major creative principle of the Theatre is not only careful preservation
the Russian classical ballet school, but also the development of new forms of
choreographic expressiveness, as well as discovering new models, directions and
possibilities of dance.

The Rakhmaninov Symphony
Orchestra

The Rakhmaninov Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1995, was directed by the
celebrated conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre Andrei Chistyakov.

The RSO collaborates with many composers, both in Russia and abroad,
including Michelle Legrande and Ennio Morricone. As a result of such
collaborations, the orchestra has not only performed many successful concerts,
but also released numerous disks.

From its founding, the orchestra has participated in the yearly Maya
Plisetskaya Festival in Finland, where they have performed such works as Swan
Lake, Giselle, The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty, and Carmen.

With the arrival in 2005 of A. Petukhov, the orchestra
intensified its performance schedule: they now perform in Moscow"s finest
concert halls, including the Great Hall of Moscow State Conservatory,
Tchaikovsky Hall, The Central State Concert Hall "Russia", and the Kremlin
Palace. The RSO has a long-term contract with the Kremlin Palace, which is
located in the territory of the Kremlin and has seating for 6000.

At the Italian-Russian Festival, the RSO premiered modern Italian composer
Bruno Cantini"s opera "Anastasia". The festival was an important event in
Moscow"s cultural life.

In the near future, the RSO is planning concerts in Finland, France, and
Germany.

Alexander Petukhov is a professor
of the Moscow State Conservatory, professor of the Russian Academy of Theatre
Arts, honorary professor of the International Academy of Science in San Marino,
vice president of the International Union of Musicians, and a distinguished
figure in Russia"s cultural life. Since 1998, A. Petukhov serves as both
director and conductor of the Moscow Conservatory Opera Studio.

A graduate of Moscow State Conservatory, A. Petukhov has
directed professional symphony orchestras from 18 years of age. During his years
as a student of the Conservatory, many important symphonic works were performed
under his direction, including operas of Tchaikovskii, Puccini and Prokofiev. At
22 years of age he was invited to conduct the Moscow State Operetta Theatre
orchestra, and after six months to conduct the State Symphony Cinematic
Orchestra of the Soviet Union, in which over 250 musicians worked under his
direction.

Over the course of his fourteen years with this ensemble, A.
Petukhov maintained an active concert schedule, and also recorded music of
widely varying styles. During this period, they recorded music for more than
1500 films, (including the cult series "Seventeen Moments of Spring"), shows,
and television programs, as well as dozens of symphonies, operas, and ballets.

From 1983 to 1988 A. Petukhov served as artistic director and
conductor of the countries most celebrated orchestra- the All-Union Radio and TV
Orchestra. Daily radio broadcasts, as well as frequent concerts made him a
famous and beloved public figure.

From 1989 to 1994 he toured with the concerts all over the
world. And beginning with 1995 he became a professor of the Moscow State
Conservatory. A. Petukhov joined the Rakhmaninov Symphony Orchestra as the
artistic director and chief conductor in
2005.

Alexey OSETROV.

Graduated from Moscow State Conservatoire named after
P.I.Tchaikovsky (pedagogues E.Leonov and G.Rozhdestvensky) with distinguished
diplomas. In 1997 was invited to the music theatre Amadeus, where he staged
several pieces by Mozart and Strauss. In 1999 he was invited as a conductor to
the Opera studio at Moscow Conservatoire, where participated in the production
of the opera Aleko by S.Rakhmaninov. In 2000 Alexey Osetrov staged operas Eugene
Onegin by Tchaikovsky and Boris Godunov by M.Mussorgsky at the Opera
Studio-Theatre named after S.Prokofiev. In 2001 he participated (under the
guidance of G.Rozhdestvensky) in staging of The Gambler at the Bolshoi Theatre
and one year later, together with the famous conductor G.Zhemchuzhin, he worked
at the ballet Magic Flute by R.Drigo. During the season of 2003/2004 Alexey
Osetrov conducted at Helikon Opera Theatre. He also performs extensively as a
guest conductor in the country and abroad. His repertoire includes classical
operas, ballets and symphony music programmes.

Konstantin KHVATINETS.

Graduated from the State Musical Collage named after the Gnesins
(pedagogue V.Kalinin) with the distinguished diploma. Later graduated from
Moscow State Conservatoire ( his pedagogues were B.Tevlin and G.Rozhdestvensky).
Since 2005 Konstantin Khvatinets is on probation with the National Philharmonic
Orchestra of Russia (artistic director and chief conductor V.Spivakov). And
alongside with this he is a conductor of the Children"s Music Theatre named
after N.Sats. His repertoire includes music and ballet performances. He was
invited as a guest conductor to perform at the Bolshoi theatre during the
presentation of the Bolshoi ballet school in Brasil graduates Gala programme. In
2006 he has brought into life a new production of Chippollino by K.Khachaturyan
on the stage of Children”s Music
Theatre.